Ripping yarns from the Age of Adventure

Goodwood Revival

Post navigation

There are very few times in one’s life when the opportunity arises to say: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the seven times world motorcycle racing champion and 1964 Formula One world champion, John Surtees.”

But that is exactly what happened at Goodwood last month.

‘Big John‘ and self were engaged by Shell to bring the Revival to life for its guests and to mark the restoration of the Shell Classic X-100 motor oil as a brand. Not only is Shell bringing back an icon of the 1950s and 1960s to the shelves of your local retailer, but with every can sold it is raising money for one of the best causes out there – the Henry Surtees Foundation.

At Brands Hatch in 2009, a promising and personable young racer, Henry Surtees, was killed. Your scribe was at Manston that day, but had been at Brands Hatch the day before, when I was introduced to Henry by a mutual friend and was deeply impressed by his wit and easy confidence. When the news came over the radio that he had been lost, I was not alone in feeling his loss very sharply indeed, even after such a short meeting.

It wasn’t until 2010 that I first met Henry’s celebrated father, when he was among the champions who had gathered in Bahrain to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Formula One world championship. His early arrival and eager presence around the paddock – accompanied at every turn by the stalwart artist, Michael Turner – became a welcome feature of the weekend.

Then came the matter of climbing aboard his car for the parade of champions: the wickedly beautiful little Ferrari 1512, which now resides in Bernie Ecclestone’s very private collection. John was rather uncomfortable about this, as it was to be the first time he had gone on track since Henry had died and his family was far from thrilled about it. Then the car broke. Bernie was annoyed, spotted windmilling his arms in the collecting area, but Surtees himself was outwardly unmoved.

The following day, with the car miraculously fixed by the genius who cares for it, the host of champions mustered once again. First out of the blocks was Nigel Mansell at the wheel of the glorious Thinwall Special Ferrari. He was followed by the likes of Damon Hill in his title-winning Williams, Mario Andretti in his title-winning Lotus and Jody Scheckter in his title-winning Ferrari.

I was stationed beside ‘Big John’ in case there was another problem. Here was a rather wiry, almost nervous old gentleman, far removed from the confident, beaming figure that we all recognise in the photos from the mid-Sixties. He seemed ill at ease while the likes of Keke Rosberg and Jackie Stewart set off on either side amid the yowl of Cosworth DFV power – but then came the most unforgettable sight.

First of all, the Surtees chin jutted. Then he snapped his goggles down and the years fell away. Everything about his body language changed – as if to say: “I’m still a bloody racing driver, like it or not!” And with that he dumped the clutch and left two black lines running down the immaculate Bahraini pit lane. It was an astounding demonstration of courage.

Fast forward to this year’s Revival, where John was to be found signing autographs at every turn, posing for selfies, doing interviews and generally being pressed into action. He drove a Ferrari 250 LM to lead out the Lavant Cup competitors, helped to open Shell’s new vintage-looking aviation refuelling area and he played a key role in the Bruce McLaren tribute.

In the midst of all this, he came and spoke to a lot of bigwigs from Shell. As MC for the event, I had seven questions to make sure we said all the right things – and didn’t need one of them. Surtees has been a Shell ambassador for decades and knows, very precisely, what to say and when. Then I asked him to tell the audience something about Henry and what the Foundation is doing in his name. And what a response.

John talked us through his time as a karting dad, about Henry’s life and loss and then about the work that the Foundation has done since 2009. He spoke brilliantly about the lives saved because the Air Ambulance now has blood transfusion equipment. About his determination not only to make the world safer in Henry’s name but also to use motor sport to bring wayward and disadvantaged kids back from the brink.

All of it impressed upon the guests how important every can of Shell X-100 oil sold will be. And, equally, it also showed the determination and energy of a man who, even in his ninth decade, is determined to work harder than ever in his son’s name to bring some measure of good from his horrendous loss. This is the John Surtees that I have come to know. These encounters have been a pleasure and a privilege and I hope that our paths cross again before long.

It’s the place to come and see and be seen – and in the absence of We Heart Vintage at this year’s revival, the S&G stepped manfully into the breach to record the best and brightest of what everyone was doing out on the replica High Street. Were you shopping in the vintage Tesco or posing at the Shell garage? Why not relive the life, laughs and Lambrettas for a while with this here gallery, like…

Polka dots were definitely in demand this year… this fashion reporting lark is going well!

Scooters were in plentiful supply

There were plenty of frocks, caps and hats on parade.

A warm welcome

Loving that pith helmet, sir! Later on the High Street got really busy…

The café racers assemble

Either he’s made a purchase or the garage is looking a bit bare

Rock’n’Roll is here to stay

Doing the forecourt jive

If you think that this girl looks like Clara Oswald… we agree

Fifties pastel colours and white overalls… it’s not all tweed y’know!

Having signed sufficient oil cans, Surtees signs the purchasers. What a guy.

John Surtees signing cans of the revived oil brand of the Fifties – Shell X-100

The aircraft element of this year’s Goodwood Revival was in some ways more prominent than usual, with the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation concours being dedicated to Battle of Britain aircraft in anticipation of the former RAF Westhampnett becoming the focal point of national commemorations for the 75th anniversary. What this meant was an abundance of Spitfires, a smattering of Hurricanes and the lone Bristol Blenheim standing in all their glory on the airfield to be enjoyed up close by the visitors to the event.

In the air, however, the pall of nearby Shoreham still hung heavily over proceedings. The flying elements – a daily ‘Dawn Patrol’, scheduled flyovers by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and performances by aircraft stationed at Goodwood for the weekend – were little more than gentle circuits that dipped down over the runway before climbing out to perform another circuit. The only non-WW2 aircraft scheduled to perform, the Avro Vulcan bomber, did not appear due to a technical fault in the landing gear.

The only opportunity provided for a proper air display was over the cricket match on Thursday night, during which a spectacular display was put on by the lone Spitfire. Elsewhere through the weekend, the heroes of the show were the Old Flying Machine Company’s pair of movie stars – Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX MH434, a stalwart of the Revival, and P-51D Mustang Ferocious Frankie.

MH434 is the only flying Spitfire to have never been fully restored. She was first flown by aviation aces, securing an enviable record in WWII, before the late Ray Hanna, a founder member of the RAF Red Arrows, bought her as the anchor of his historic flying circus, the Old Flying Machine Company.

Ray’s exploits in MH434 remain legendary, including the famous ‘buzz’ of Alain de Cadenet, flying down the start/finish straight at Goodwood lower than the pit garage roof and flying through the Winston Bridge in County Durham for a scene in the TV adaptation of Derek Robinson’s Piece of Cake. This latter appearance was one of many film roles to date such as A Bridge Too Far, The Longest Day, Hope & Glory and Battle of Britain.

In her regular position alongside MH434, P-51D Mustang Ferocious Frankie also drew admiring glances. Frankie also had an enviable war career, followed by second place overall in the Reno air races. Since she was added to the Old Flying Machine Company stable, the Mustang has become another movie regular with roles in Saving Private Ryan, Memphis Belle, Hart’s War and an iconic presence in Stephen Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun.

The other pair working the line at Goodwood was The Fighter Collection’s pair of Curtiss Hawks. A novelty for many, the Curtiss Hawk 75 is the only airworthy example of the Curtiss P-36 lineage left anywhere in the world. Flying in the colours of the French Armee de l’Air, she was joined by one of only two P-40F fighters still airworthy, the sole Hawk type to be fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.

Of course the highlight of the weekend for many was the flypast by 12 Hurricanes and Spitfires. And it was great – not least thanks to the presence of war veterans now well into their tenth decade, the backdrop of film and speech and music and the general level of reverence being offered up before the aircraft swooped in.

All in all, it was done very well indeed.

The veterans of World War 2 head out for their parade and deserved applause

The veterans of World War 2 head out for their parade and deserved applause

The veterans of World War 2 head out for their parade and deserved applause

The veterans of World War 2 head out for their parade and deserved applause

The veterans of World War 2 head out for their parade and deserved applause

The pair of rare Hawks from The Fighter Collection

The 12-ship formation crowns the weekend air displays.

Hurricane climbing hard in Far East theatre colours of 32 Squadron

A quartet of beauties turns in for their low pass.

Dramatic skies abounded over Goodwood

Another low pass in the offing.

The skies over Sussex were in dramatic form

The sizeable crowds thronging the flight line, Freddie March area and Spitfire Café got a good show.

An exciting airshow season is ahead with much to savour for fans of World War 1 aviation. Last year the national home of airworthy vintage aircraft, the Shuttleworth Collection, was quite rightly focused on the return of its De Havilland DH.88 Comet Grosvenor House to the skies after more than two decades, marking the 80th anniversary of her win in the Macrobertson Air Race but in 2015 it looks like biplanes are in pole position.

This year the Collection’s unique selection of First World War aircraft at its Old Warden home will be bolstered with a reproduction Sopwith Camel, complete with a period Clerget 130hp rotary engine. Originally built in 2001 by Northern Aeroplane Workshops, the Shuttleworth Collection engineers have been beavering away getting it ready for display appearances later in 2015 wearing the markings of the Ruston Proctor-built D1851 when flown in 1918 by 70 Squadron, RAF.

‘Ikanopit’ is sure to be a hit – and a handful to fly!

Carrying the legend ‘Ikanopit’ (I can hop it!), the original D1851, in the hands of Lieutenant W. Gowan, survived a mid-air collision with its squadron mate D1796 flown by Lieutenant S. Rochford. Its reproduction will make an extremely welcome addition to the Shuttleworth shows this year, where it will doubtless fly alongside the collection’s original Sopwith Pup – although a three-ship formation with the reproduction Sopwith Triplane is still some time off as the damage from the latter’s landing accident last year is repaired.

Two beautiful Sopwith scouts will star in 2015

Also currently at Old Warden is a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a, which is ultimately going to join the WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust (WAHT), based at Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire. Last year the Bicester group took the WW1 scene by storm with a pair of Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e aircraft and is following up with three new additions, of which the S.E.5a is the first arrival.

Still to arrive in the UK are WAHT’s other two new attractions: a reproduction Albatros D.Va and a muscular little Sopwith Snipe reproduction, both of which hail from Peter Jackson’s Vintage Aviator company in New Zealand. The Albatros, was recently air tested by the legendary Kermit Weeks prior to disassembly and freighting halfway around the world. The flying schedule for the year includes a display at the Shuttleworth Collection and an appearance at the Goodwood Revival.

WAHT’s Albatros gets an air test from Kermit Weeks

WAHT has now opened a funding campaign to raise the £11,200 it needs to reassemble the newcomers when they arrive in Britain – details of which can be found at the trust’s website.

Daily galleries from this year’s Goodwood Revival have served to hearten many – S&G and a number of readers included – who feared that the whole thing was tipping towards a ghastly mélange of mis-matched uniforms, bothersome hippies and comedy Gestapo outfits. The ante was clearly upped, mobile phones were generally less obvious than they have been of late and the weekend looked much the better for it.

There is some good news for the traditionalists, as the Goodwood Revival has announced the return of infield parking for pre-1966 cars only at this year’s event.

This very pretty Porsche will be out among the Imprezas in 2013

In a crowded marketplace it’s clear that any event must grow to survive. The Revival has consistently managed to stage one of the most staggering displays of historic racing in the world – and added a host of other retro attractions.

In its first few years, parking within the circuit was reserved for cars built before 1966 – the year in which Goodwood closed as a race track and meant that the period ambiance was kept as closely as possible to that of the circuit’s heyday. In recent years the ambiance has become less of a recreation of Goodwood’s own past and more of a three day fancy dress party – with around 80 per cent of the 135,000 visitors choosing to wear costumes – and this has included giving prominence to post-1966 vehicles.

But not in 2013.

A press release from Goodwood states that the ‘new’ Revival infield car park – known as the Hawthorn Infield Parking – allows owners of pre-1966 vehicles the option to become an integral part of the Goodwood Revival. This new 200 vehicle daily capacity, pre-1966 vehicle park, will be located inside the Goodwood Motor Circuit perimeter at the Revival, positioned on the inside of circuit, along the Lavant Straight.

The Stag and the TR6s won’t get admittance to revived pre-66 parking

Parking in the pre-66 car park will cost £70 for Revival Friday and £90 per day for Revival Saturday and Sunday. The Hawthorn Infield Parking is an additional attraction to the Goodwood Revival, and customers will still need valid general admission tickets in order to gain entry into the event.

One suspects that Mike Hawthorn, who famously scaled fences and breached bushes to get into Goodwood without paying, would be pretty amused by the idea!

The Spread Eagle Hotel in Midhurst was one spot where the discerning fan could grab themselves an autograph or share a pint with the heroes of the day after a day’s racing at Goodwood. Then there was The Bricklayer’s Arms.

The Bricklayer’s Arms in Midhurst has a few tales to tell

It was here that Mike Hawthorn and the Members would often stop in for a tipple or nine after a day at the circuit – and usually manage to get away without paying before they headed to the chip shop. It was here, too, that Mike’s father Leslie downed his last pint before crashing fatally on the way home from tending Reg Parnell’s Ferrari at the Whit Sunday meeting in 1954.

Generally the clientele of the Bricklayer’s Arms read like a who’s who of motor sport in the 1940s to the 1960s and it’s well worth dipping in for refreshment if one happens to be in the area. There’s even a rather beautiful motorbike restoration business across the road – of which the ghosts doubtless approve.